Inquiries into man’s death at Garryvoe septic tank

TWO separate investigations are under way following the death of a 27-year-old man in a septic tank in East Cork.

The man was named as Kenneth Murphy from Aldergrove, Belgooly.

Investigators are trying to ascertain if the man and an older colleague, Finbarr Ahern, were overcome by fumes as they worked on the tank which belonged to a hotel.

Mr Ahern is the son of a cousin of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, whose father Con was reared in the wider Belgooly area.

The two men, who were employed by Munster Drain Services — based in Belgooly near Kinsale — had been cleaning the tank at the Garryvoe Hotel for a number of days before the accident happened at lunchtime yesterday.

According to gardaí, a passerby noticed there was a problem and locals pulled the two men out.

An ambulance crew tried to revive Mr Murphy, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was removed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) shortly after 4pm for a postmortem.

Mr Ahern, in his early 30s, was rushed to CUH. His injuries are thought not to be life-threatening.

Gardaí cordoned off the septic tank, which is 100 yards on the southern side of the hotel, while experts carried out a technical examination.

The Health & Safety Authority (HSA) also sent a team of investigators to the site. A HSA spokesman said it had been notified of the accident by the men’s employer.